Talk of the town: Bogut's rise and rise continues

Page Tools

Public speaking may still be "tough" for Australia's rising star
Andrew Bogut - but he better get used to it, judging by his
award-winning run.

The 213-centimetre centre, who is expected to be No.1 in the
June 29 NBA draft, took his award tally to six since ending his US
college career last week after collecting three more honours in a
gala ceremony in St Louis yesterday.

Bogut, 20, received the prestigious Naismith Trophy for the best
US college player, voted by leading US journalists, coaches,
administrators and fans.

He was also named as the National Association of Basketball
Coaches division 1 men's player of the year and the Pete Newell big
man of the year.

"This is tough, giving three speeches in one night," said Bogut,
who averaged 20.4 points and 12.2 rebounds while leading the
University of Utah to the Mountain West Conference title and an
NCAA round-of-16 berth.

Bogut will be honoured again at a Naismith Awards banquet on
Saturday in Atlanta before leaving the next day for Los Angeles,
where he is tipped to win the John R Wooden Award - considered the
most prestigious individual honour in college basketball. Previous
winners include Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and a man to whom Bogut
has already been compared - San Antonio's two-time MVP Tim
Duncan.

Bogut has already been voted the national college player of the
year by CBS Sports, the US Basketball Writers' Association and the
Associated Press.

At least he's trying to make his speeches interesting. "It was
tough practising for me as a kid, between wrestling crocodiles and
chasing kangaroos," Bogut joked at the ceremony.

He will command a three-year contract worth more than $14
million if picked at No.1.